Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tldr: The Coward by Steven Aryan is a fine modern update of a classic quest fantasy. With a sheen of wit, Mr Aryan introduces us to a colourful world with various kingdoms and inhabitants fleshed out, whilst also keeping the worldbuilding quite slim. Although it had a promising start and finish, I did struggle with a slower pace in the middle and felt that the emotional depths were never fully plumbed in the ways they could’ve been.
For those looking for a good breather from the chonkier books and emotional trauma of grimdark, this may just be for you. I think it was actually better suited to a tv adaptation, and if it ever were to be adapted, I certainly would be one of the first to watch! Personally, this book didn’t completely click with me, however Mr Aryan clearly has a lot of skill , and it certainly left me curious to see where book two would take the story next.
3.75/5*
*******************
Who will take up the mantle and slay the evil in the Frozen North, saving all from death and destruction? Not Kell Kressia, he's done his part...
Kell Kressia is a legend, a celebrity, a hero. Aged just seventeen he set out on an epic quest with a band of grizzled fighters to slay the Ice Lich and save the world, but only he returned victorious. The Lich was dead, the ice receded and the Five Kingdoms were safe.
Ten years have passed Kell lives a quiet farmer's life, while stories about his heroism are told in every tavern across the length and breadth of the land. But now a new terror has arisen in the north. Beyond the frozen circle, north of the Frostrunner clans, something has taken up residence in the Lich's abandoned castle. And the ice is beginning to creep south once more.
For the second time, Kell is called upon to take up his famous sword, Slayer, and battle the forces of darkness. But he has a terrible secret that nobody knows. He's not a hero - he was just lucky. Everyone puts their faith in Kell the Legend, but he's a coward who has no intention of risking his life for anyone...
*******************
Special thanks to Angry Robot Books and SFF Oasis for organising this!
First off, hats off to the artist Kieryn Tyler for an absolutely mesmerising cover. It’s so simple and yet bold in its effect. A very Hobbit reminiscent cover and it certainly got the classic fantasy vibes of the book right.
Now this was a fun book, and it certainly starts off with a fantastic line. I was truly impressed by the start as there was an unexpected layer of wit there, and I considered maybe I had gotten it wrong and that this was a more comedic quest fantasy which would be quite refreshing. I noted that the prose was very efficient but not limited in any way, and a lot of the info necessary is naturally part of the narration rather than a big info dump.
What does it have to reveal you may ask? Well, there is a tale of legend, of a band of heroes who ventured into the far north to slay the fearsome Ice Lich. Our main protagonist Kell Kressia was one of those heroes. The only one left alive…
Ten years has passed since that fateful expedition, and Kell has been dealing with all manner of PTSD in the years since. Legend is not as it seems, a key theme which runs through the narrative. Certainly, one aspect that is not as it seemed is the supposed death of the Ice Lich whom Kell slayed all those years ago. Signs grow that the Ice lich is rising again, threatening the fate of the entire five kingdoms, leaving Kell to venture back into a land he swore never to return to.
One of my hopes for this book was that it would explore what it means to be a hero, what differences legends and facts can have, and the toll a heroic quest takes on a hero. War is always glorified, but never is it as it is portrayed. To a certain extent, this is done well here. The eponymous Coward could in fact be any of the motley crew that forms around Kell, and there is a lot to be said about what true courage is. However, I think the book never had the length it deserved to do justice to such broad and deep issues. There were some wonderful character moments in the fireside chats, but things moved along in such a swift manner whilst simultaneously having little occurring.
What I mean by this is that there’s a lot of travel in this book, and yet not much occurs until part three of the book. So, there’s a little bit of an odd rhythm going on here, because its slow whilst also keeping things moving from town to town. For some people it may be a touching book for addressing these themes, but for those of you looking for rich and detailed characterisation you may be left looking a little further. At times it did feel very much like telling rather than showing the emotions which did take me out of the immersion a little bit.
However, the book did redeem itself with an action-packed part three which was both a blessing and a curse. For those of you waiting for a little more plot development and action, this will be your part. All the revelations come out, all the monsters, and the emotions started to hit better. However, because of this, it was a little bit jarring for me personally, because we went from travelling to one set piece after another which did feel a little contrived. I certainly enjoyed this part and the action within, but I did at times find myself glancing over the action scenes. I think if it had invested more setup in the ominous feel of the north, it would’ve felt a little more earned, but whilst the foreboding is there, it never truly felt like they were stepping off the precipice, which would’ve heightened the dramatic tension in these scenes. There were a few good twists towards the end with one that really worked for me and was a fantastic little surprise, but with a few twists again feeling a little contrived for character development.
Though mostly archetypes, the characters did pop out of the book for me with Aryan providing some depth beyond those archetypes, showing his skill as an author. My favourite was Willow who is a mysterious member of the quest and was very unique which definitely piqued my curiosity the most. Malomir was another favourite of mine as a semi pompous warrior full of his own half-truths and he certainly provided a lot of humour to keep me going through the middle. Kell was also pretty decent, but I think his characterisation being as limited as it was when it could’ve gone so much further did limit my enjoyment a little. The antagonist was really one of the most interesting characters and one of the biggest let-downs for me, though there is hope for book 2 to do them justice. They certainly left their mark on me early on, but then mostly exited the story, returning solely for small excerpts and for setup for the sequel towards the end.
Overall, this is a fun little diversion into quest fantasy with a modern twist. It was nothing spectacular, but also nothing terrible. I think it is one if I wasn’t constrained to time limits for the review that I would’ve put down and picked up later, but it certainly wasn’t a DNF.
Whilst personally it didn’t completely hit it off with me, I can certainly see why it did with others and I am very excited to read onto the sequel to finish the story. The book definitely got better as it went along, so I am hopeful this continues into the sequel.
Thanks to Angry Robot Books and SFF Oasis for organising this treat for us all!
For those looking for a good breather from the chonkier books and emotional trauma of grimdark, this may just be for you. I think it was actually better suited to a tv adaptation, and if it ever were to be adapted, I certainly would be one of the first to watch! Personally, this book didn’t completely click with me, however Mr Aryan clearly has a lot of skill , and it certainly left me curious to see where book two would take the story next.
3.75/5*
*******************
Who will take up the mantle and slay the evil in the Frozen North, saving all from death and destruction? Not Kell Kressia, he's done his part...
Kell Kressia is a legend, a celebrity, a hero. Aged just seventeen he set out on an epic quest with a band of grizzled fighters to slay the Ice Lich and save the world, but only he returned victorious. The Lich was dead, the ice receded and the Five Kingdoms were safe.
Ten years have passed Kell lives a quiet farmer's life, while stories about his heroism are told in every tavern across the length and breadth of the land. But now a new terror has arisen in the north. Beyond the frozen circle, north of the Frostrunner clans, something has taken up residence in the Lich's abandoned castle. And the ice is beginning to creep south once more.
For the second time, Kell is called upon to take up his famous sword, Slayer, and battle the forces of darkness. But he has a terrible secret that nobody knows. He's not a hero - he was just lucky. Everyone puts their faith in Kell the Legend, but he's a coward who has no intention of risking his life for anyone...
*******************
Special thanks to Angry Robot Books and SFF Oasis for organising this!
First off, hats off to the artist Kieryn Tyler for an absolutely mesmerising cover. It’s so simple and yet bold in its effect. A very Hobbit reminiscent cover and it certainly got the classic fantasy vibes of the book right.
Now this was a fun book, and it certainly starts off with a fantastic line. I was truly impressed by the start as there was an unexpected layer of wit there, and I considered maybe I had gotten it wrong and that this was a more comedic quest fantasy which would be quite refreshing. I noted that the prose was very efficient but not limited in any way, and a lot of the info necessary is naturally part of the narration rather than a big info dump.
What does it have to reveal you may ask? Well, there is a tale of legend, of a band of heroes who ventured into the far north to slay the fearsome Ice Lich. Our main protagonist Kell Kressia was one of those heroes. The only one left alive…
Ten years has passed since that fateful expedition, and Kell has been dealing with all manner of PTSD in the years since. Legend is not as it seems, a key theme which runs through the narrative. Certainly, one aspect that is not as it seemed is the supposed death of the Ice Lich whom Kell slayed all those years ago. Signs grow that the Ice lich is rising again, threatening the fate of the entire five kingdoms, leaving Kell to venture back into a land he swore never to return to.
One of my hopes for this book was that it would explore what it means to be a hero, what differences legends and facts can have, and the toll a heroic quest takes on a hero. War is always glorified, but never is it as it is portrayed. To a certain extent, this is done well here. The eponymous Coward could in fact be any of the motley crew that forms around Kell, and there is a lot to be said about what true courage is. However, I think the book never had the length it deserved to do justice to such broad and deep issues. There were some wonderful character moments in the fireside chats, but things moved along in such a swift manner whilst simultaneously having little occurring.
What I mean by this is that there’s a lot of travel in this book, and yet not much occurs until part three of the book. So, there’s a little bit of an odd rhythm going on here, because its slow whilst also keeping things moving from town to town. For some people it may be a touching book for addressing these themes, but for those of you looking for rich and detailed characterisation you may be left looking a little further. At times it did feel very much like telling rather than showing the emotions which did take me out of the immersion a little bit.
However, the book did redeem itself with an action-packed part three which was both a blessing and a curse. For those of you waiting for a little more plot development and action, this will be your part. All the revelations come out, all the monsters, and the emotions started to hit better. However, because of this, it was a little bit jarring for me personally, because we went from travelling to one set piece after another which did feel a little contrived. I certainly enjoyed this part and the action within, but I did at times find myself glancing over the action scenes. I think if it had invested more setup in the ominous feel of the north, it would’ve felt a little more earned, but whilst the foreboding is there, it never truly felt like they were stepping off the precipice, which would’ve heightened the dramatic tension in these scenes. There were a few good twists towards the end with one that really worked for me and was a fantastic little surprise, but with a few twists again feeling a little contrived for character development.
Though mostly archetypes, the characters did pop out of the book for me with Aryan providing some depth beyond those archetypes, showing his skill as an author. My favourite was Willow who is a mysterious member of the quest and was very unique which definitely piqued my curiosity the most. Malomir was another favourite of mine as a semi pompous warrior full of his own half-truths and he certainly provided a lot of humour to keep me going through the middle. Kell was also pretty decent, but I think his characterisation being as limited as it was when it could’ve gone so much further did limit my enjoyment a little. The antagonist was really one of the most interesting characters and one of the biggest let-downs for me, though there is hope for book 2 to do them justice. They certainly left their mark on me early on, but then mostly exited the story, returning solely for small excerpts and for setup for the sequel towards the end.
Overall, this is a fun little diversion into quest fantasy with a modern twist. It was nothing spectacular, but also nothing terrible. I think it is one if I wasn’t constrained to time limits for the review that I would’ve put down and picked up later, but it certainly wasn’t a DNF.
Whilst personally it didn’t completely hit it off with me, I can certainly see why it did with others and I am very excited to read onto the sequel to finish the story. The book definitely got better as it went along, so I am hopeful this continues into the sequel.
Thanks to Angry Robot Books and SFF Oasis for organising this treat for us all!
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4/5 Stars
The Coward by Stephen Aryan is Book 1 in the Quest of Heroes Duology. A fantasy, with a quest to save the Five Kingdoms. Only this story sheds a different light on the heroes of legend.
This is the tale of Kell Kressia, a hero and legend at just seventeen years old. Ten years have passed and the threat to the Five Kingdoms has come again. But there’s a secret Kell has kept close to himself, he’s a coward with no intention of risking his life for others.
What captured me right away was the characters, their circumstances, and its effects on Kell’s story kept me wanting to read. We see multiple perspectives from Kell, Reverand Mother Britak, Princess Sigrid, and Gerren, with more characters making appearances. Each made a different impact while reading and had great character development.
The Coward does well at exploring the different characters in a way that flows with the story. There is also a balance of action, and exploration of the world.
The world was diverse in the type of people we meet, along with different terrains, although we don’t get an in-depth look into the world. Rather an exploration of it, as the story progresses.
The pacing of The Coward was slow to medium throughout. While the execution of the story was well done, I found myself more invested in the characters. There was a lot I enjoyed, but I did find some parts a bit repetitive for my liking.
The Coward is the kind of story that pays off the more you read and has many classic fantasy tropes including, found family, and adventure/quest. Seeing a spin on the brave hero, setting out on a quest was enjoyable. I especially loved how Stephen Aryan portrayed how PTSD can affect someone and how their choices can shape, not only, their perspectives but also future.
I listened to The Coward on audiobook while reading the physical copy. The audiobook was enjoyable, and Matt Wycliffe did a great job narrating the different characters.
This has religious influences, political intrigue, great action scenes, a high stakes quest, great character development and a sprinkle of fantasy mixed in. The Coward sets up for book 2, The Warrior, which has an expected release date of August 9th, 2022.
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in The Warrior and how the story continues.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry
Minor: Alcohol
So much missed potential. There is a stong premise of a cowardly hero having to confront his demons and become the hero he is meant to be, however, in this book, he is actually just traumatised, and actually wasn't much of a coward.
Aryan does well to make the land the story is set in interesting and vivid for the most part, but eventually in the journey, the landscapes simply become flat.
In terms of characterisation, the hero is somewhat interesting, but the only other really entertaining person is a sceptical child who is killed off at midway through. The other characters are given little to really make them special.
But its the plot is where it really falls flat. Kell is the saviour of the kingdom who killed the evil Ice Lich, who cast the kingdom into an ice age. However, when the ice comes back, he is recruited to save the kingdom again. With flashbacks to the past, the story could have showed that Kell did not actually kill the Ice Lich and only banished it, however the story decides to say it came back because KELL DID NOT SQUISH ITS HEAD. The fight against the old undead heroes on the ice was fun, but I would have liked to see a redemption arc for one to join them in the final fight. Regarding the final fight, the was the main disappointment. The first 2 thirds were good but the conclusion is poor, as the Ice Lich does nothing but scream while the heroes attack a force field that collapses and the ice lich is defeated. I know, it's that bad. Also, the true danger of the Ice Lich is never really explored, as no consequences are seen.
The story has a subplot with this evil nun recruiting a radical army for the sequels, which I will not be reading. This story is disappointing.
Score - 2.5/5
Aryan does well to make the land the story is set in interesting and vivid for the most part, but eventually in the journey, the landscapes simply become flat.
In terms of characterisation, the hero is somewhat interesting, but the only other really entertaining person is a sceptical child who is killed off at midway through. The other characters are given little to really make them special.
But its the plot is where it really falls flat. Kell is the saviour of the kingdom who killed the evil Ice Lich, who cast the kingdom into an ice age. However, when the ice comes back, he is recruited to save the kingdom again. With flashbacks to the past, the story could have showed that Kell did not actually kill the Ice Lich and only banished it, however the story decides to say it came back because KELL DID NOT SQUISH ITS HEAD. The fight against the old undead heroes on the ice was fun, but I would have liked to see a redemption arc for one to join them in the final fight. Regarding the final fight, the was the main disappointment. The first 2 thirds were good but the conclusion is poor, as the Ice Lich does nothing but scream while the heroes attack a force field that collapses and the ice lich is defeated. I know, it's that bad. Also, the true danger of the Ice Lich is never really explored, as no consequences are seen.
The story has a subplot with this evil nun recruiting a radical army for the sequels, which I will not be reading. This story is disappointing.
Score - 2.5/5
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are very few books that requires the reader to trust the author and are compelling reading experiences. You have no idea where the story is taking you, all your guesses have been wide of the mark, but the ride is amazing. This is how I felt about this indie publication. Despite a slight book hangover, I look back at my last days reading this fondly.
The Coward is a story about heroes. Ten years ago, Kell Kressia was the only survivor of a quest to the Frozen North to save the Five Kingdoms from evil. But it seems that evil has returned and famine and death threaten these kingdoms again. Kell is being recruited to face the battle ……. And he wants peace and doesn’t want to risk his life again. But we all know nothing ever goes quite to our wants.
This book was written simply but the characters, the story development, the different territories that we are shown were masterfully crafted. The shakiest part is the beginning as the reader gets info dumps but wisely the author uses dry humor to keep you turning the pages until about chapter 10.But from there, it was great for me.
As a plus, I noted the inspiration of European and Mongolian influence in this book. Anyone who respectfully incorporates indigenous peoples in their story, deserves extra attention.
Highly recommend.
The Coward is a story about heroes. Ten years ago, Kell Kressia was the only survivor of a quest to the Frozen North to save the Five Kingdoms from evil. But it seems that evil has returned and famine and death threaten these kingdoms again. Kell is being recruited to face the battle ……. And he wants peace and doesn’t want to risk his life again. But we all know nothing ever goes quite to our wants.
This book was written simply but the characters, the story development, the different territories that we are shown were masterfully crafted. The shakiest part is the beginning as the reader gets info dumps but wisely the author uses dry humor to keep you turning the pages until about chapter 10.But from there, it was great for me.
As a plus, I noted the inspiration of European and Mongolian influence in this book. Anyone who respectfully incorporates indigenous peoples in their story, deserves extra attention.
Highly recommend.
This is one of the best fantasy novels of the year. Hands down. Put down everything and read it. Go on cowards, you wont